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How I Felt On Conquering Everest

Four climbers share their emotional experiences upon reaching the summit of Everest, each reflecting on personal challenges and insights. Roddy Mackenzie recalls a surreal moment with a friend, while Anna Czerwinska describes the mental and physical struggles faced during her ascent. Frits Vrijlandt emphasizes the importance of preparation and the fleeting nature of achievement, ultimately finding spiritual value in the climb.

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247 views2 pages

How I Felt On Conquering Everest

Four climbers share their emotional experiences upon reaching the summit of Everest, each reflecting on personal challenges and insights. Roddy Mackenzie recalls a surreal moment with a friend, while Anna Czerwinska describes the mental and physical struggles faced during her ascent. Frits Vrijlandt emphasizes the importance of preparation and the fleeting nature of achievement, ultimately finding spiritual value in the climb.

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natalia08826
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Four climbers who succeeded in climbing the world's highest mountain write about how they felt when

they reached the summit.

A Roddy Mackenzie C Andy Politz

It has occasionally been claimed that people climb On the summit, I set out to get some sponsor
far the smell of it. Air at very high altitude smells photos, which at 8,850 metres without oxygen gives
completely different. When I reached the South a unique insight into hypoxia. At one point, I looked
Summit, I was suffering from a lack of Spanish down at Nepal and the South East Ridge only to be
olives. I was preoccupied with thoughts of a tin of surprised by another climber coming up through the
them sitting in my tent at base camp. This was the clouds. He was startled to see someone looking
result of a very intense dream about olives that was down at him. He was also climbing without oxygen
interrupted by the alarm summoning me to our and was tiring. The other thought I had,
summit attempt. At the South Summit, the view of remembering six years of attempting to climb
the main summit fascinated me from a Everest, was 'He could take my picture'. Through
mountaineering point of view and all dreaming of scudding cloud, I saw that the colour and design of
olives evaporated. On the summit, I felt a mixture of his clothing were unmistakably French. I do not
apprehension and curiosity. It seemed to me that speak French. As this Frenchman was taking his last
the curvature of the Earth was apparent, and I spent steps to the summit, I made the international hand
some time trying to think of a means to test if this sign for 'Stop and 1'11 take your picture'. While I
was a real observation or an illusion. Many people was struggling to focus the camera, he looked hard
on the Indian subcontinent believe that the ascent at me and exclaimed 'Andy!' To my amazement, it
of Everest confers on the climber a greater wisdom was my close friend Ed Viestours on his second
in manifold subjects. That is something I do not ascent of the mountain.
agree with but never dispute.

B Anna Czerwinska D Frits Vrijlandt

When I reached the South Summit, I looked back at I approached Everest with respect and was well
the mists rising from the valleys and I could feel aware of being just a small human being. An
their damp touch on my face. They prevented me excellent preparation is very important but far from
from looking down on the long painful way up, but it a guarantee that you'll reach the summit. You have
was not only that. The curtain of mist had closed to be mentally ready to go far it, sufficiently
over my past. My oxygen was running out, and experienced and a brave and careful climber. Before
common sense demanded that I return, but before our summit bid, our team agreed that returning
long I was c1imbing on an exposed ridge to the foot without injuries was our main objective. Some
of the Hillary Step. A crampon had come undone people can be blindly obsessed by Everest. I reached
and I painfully put it on again. Everest was doing the top after eight hours of climbing. After I
everything to discourage me. I registered that contacted base camp and they had congratulated
dreamily and, as jf dreaming, conquered the final me, I replied, 'Thank you, but first I have to get back
metres of the snowy slope. Suddenly the clouds down safely.' After my return to Kathmandu, I felt
above me lifted in one blue moment and, very low like a super-being because I had stood on the top of
down, I saw a rugged precipitous ridge. The wind the world. I still had this feeling when I came back
was growing stronger and it was snowing lightly. I home but it soon faded away. The warld or your life
did not get the beautiful view as a reward and I felt doesn't change because you climbed a mountain,
fleetingly disappointed. However, those few even if it is the highest. But climbing Everest was a
minutes on the highest spot on Earth were worth spiritual experience for me. It puts your feet back on
very effort and have given me joy ever since. the surface of mother Earth.
In which article is the following mentioned?

a remarkable coincidence 1 C

a suggestion that other climbers sometimes take risks 2 D

a determination to continue climbing despite a problem 3 B


an awareness of the dangers of the descent 4 D

an obsession the climber briefly experienced 5 A

the temporary nature of the sense of achievement 6 D

the fact that the writer made the climb without some support that could have been used 7 C

the appeal of climbing to one of the senses other than sight 8 A

something that failed to live up to expectations 9 B


a claim that the writer rejects 10 A

Clues

1. This answer should stand out, as it is based on a surprising anecdote.


2. It should be straightforward to pick up the references to other people, as most of the texts are
focusing on the writer's own intense feelings.
3. Several of the texts refer to a problem, but only one does so in a way that matches the whole
phrase.
4. The reference to going back down the mountain may be indirect as long as it is unarguably in the
text.
5. You will see the word 'obsessed' in one of the texts but, in fact, this makes it the least likely text to
contain the answer to this question.
6. What verb is often used to describe the gradual disappearance of a feeling (or a colour)?If you see
this word in a text, it will take you to the answer.
7. The support that most climbers use might refer to sherpas, oxygen or types of equipment-which
text refers to managing without one of these?
8. The other four senses are hearing, smell, touch and taste – which of these is commented on
specifically in one of the texts?
9. How do you feel if something' failed to live up to expectations'? You are likely to find that word, or
something very similar, in the text.
10. What is another word for 'rejecting' another person's claim or belief? Bearing in mind other
possible ways of expressing this idea may help you to locate the answer.

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